The American Congress Digital Archives Portal Project
Date
2023-12
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Lyrasis; West Virginia University Libraries
Abstract
The American Congress Digital Archives Portal (ACDAP) project aims to provide open access to congressional archives by bringing together these civically important sources from multiple institutions using open-source software into a single online portal, illuminating the value of each collection and the relationships among them, and supporting scholarship and civics and history education.
Description
The archives of the United States Congress document the democratic process, the development of public policy, and the evolution of the legislative branch. Held at institutions throughout the country, these materials constitute part of the history of the largest and most diverse, but arguably least understood, branch of U.S. government. Congressional archives are
vitally important for understanding when and how the body wields its powers, which reflect and shape the character of America. Additionally, the value of these archives goes beyond the study of the branch itself, as they illustrate multiple narratives related to the country’s social, cultural, and political development. The American Congress Digital Archives Portal (ACDAP) project aims to provide open access to congressional archives by bringing together these civically important sources from multiple institutions using open-source software. Congressional materials in a single online portal will illuminate the value of each collection and the relationships among them, as well as provide opportunities for new scholarship and civics and history education.
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Citation
Preferred Citation: Emerling, Danielle; Gard, Sarah; McMillen, Jessica; and Weaver, Marla. "The American Congress Digital Archives Portal Project." December 2023, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.48609/69zf-6095